Direct quotes of lens info I've received
“Talked to the Canon EOS Rep today- was buying a 7D. He said, “By the way, our current stock of 70-200 F/2.8 IS USM are being sold at an extra special price of USD1450. I can't tell you why, and you didn't hear it from me, but I can get you a special price for it”. When subtly probed on a new lens, he gave the very cryptic “I can't talk about any of that… all I can do is tell you that if you want the cheap 2.8, its now.”
24-70, 70-200 & 100-400 (eternal rumors I'm afraid)
“The Canon 70-200 2.8 II will see the light of day this side of the year for announcement. Improved optics at 2.8 and new 5 stop IS. It was suppose to be announced with the 1D Mark IV but was delayed slightly. I don’t deal with pricing at all but expect it to be 30% more expensive than the current model.
In 2010 look out for the Canon 24-70 II with IS, announcement due with 1Ds IV. The 100-400 is scheduled for renewal sometime in early 2010.”
14-24 Patent?
From an FM thread and Northlight.
Patent Here: http://www.google.com/patents?id=lbTIAAAAEBAJ
CR's Take
I really hope this lens isn't true. Yes, Canon needs a kick butt ultra wide angle. The 17-40 is worth what it costs, the 16-35 is a relative disappointment beside the Nikkor 14-24. What I don't like, and a few of my photographer friends also don't like is that you can't filter a 14mm lens (yes, there may be some do it yourself solution). What I'd like to see is a 16-24 f/2.8 lens with the performance of the Nikkor 14-24. I want to use polarizers, grad filters, ND filters and all that.
I'm not sure if I'm in the minority in regards to filters.
cr
100 Comments
I was just going to buy the 24-70 f2.8 next month but now there’s again rumors about a new version with IS. I think I’d rather wait and see if Canon finally decides to build this lens. Honestly, I’m pretty sure the lens would sell like hot cake, so if they’re able to build it, I can see no reason why the wouldn’t want to do it.
I’ve only a realistic hope: short time for the new version of 24-105 f4, with the correction of distorsion at 24mm that in full frame is now much disturbing (vignetting is solved by assistence replacing two lens, i’ve seen it done twice). I’ve heard rumors that the new version will be avalaible in 2010, so I’m waiting for…no one has more details?
I hope they move the IS button on the 70-200, it’s very easy to switch off without trying. It would be cool if you could activate the lens IS through controls in/on the camera body.
HIS might show up with the 24-70 2.8L, it’s awesome for semi-macro work.
I looked at the patent 14-24. Do we have to read patent documentation now to get all the data of the lenses? Why don’t they give us all the nice charts about distortion and other things at the web side? The charts wouldn’t be part of the patent documentation if they don’t carry important information. Why are the charts from Canon not part of the product information shipped with the lens. Zeiss has no problem with that.